Jurgen Klopp has hinted that Liverpool will appeal Alexis Mac Allister’s sending off against Bournemouth, describing the challenge as “lacking everything for a red card”.
Goals from Luis Diaz, Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota sent the Reds to a 3-1 win over the Cherries but things could have got tricky when Mac Allister, making his Anfield debut, was dismissed for a high challenge on Ryan Christie on 58 minutes but if anything, Liverpool went up another gear with 10 players.
His block tackle on Christie did lack any real intent to hurt the player but it was high and did contact the Scot’s shin.
Referee Thomas Brammall’s decision was not overturned by VAR and former Premier League referee Mike Dean, speaking on Soccer Saturday, called it “a clear red card”.
On a potential appeal, Klopp said: “Let’s see what we can do, for sure we will try and talk to the people about it.”
Regarding the decision, he said: “We have to talk about it and everyone agrees. I 100 per cent understand how it looks for the ref in that moment but when you see it back, it’s the inside of the foot with no power in it.
“We’ve seen harsher challenges that weren’t red cards that should’ve been. I think we should talk about it. If he said it was a yellow, the VAR wouldn’t have upgraded to a red card.
“Everything is lacking for a red card, the intensity. Yes, there was contact but there must be a different intention when it’s a red card. We will talk to the people about it.”
Dean: ‘Mac Allister went in high, catching him on shin’
Former Premier League referee Dean speaking on Soccer Saturday:
“He’s gone in quite high. There’s not a lot of force in the challenge but he has caught him quite high. It’s just a lazy leg.
“He probably doesn’t need to make the challenge. He has caught him on the shin.
“It’s not a wrong decision by the referee. He’s gone in with his studs showing and he’s caught him on the shin.
“VAR would have looked at it. They’re happy with Tom’s [referee Thomas Brammall] decision and the game moves on.”
Klopp: Intense few days for Endo
Liverpool’s Wataru Endo in action during the Premier League match at Anfield
Despite the potentially problematic scenario of losing a man, Klopp managed to find a way to hand a debut to new signing Wataru Endo off the bench, who joined in a deal worth £16.2m.
On Endo’s introduction, he said: “It was not how you plan it. The last two days for him were brutally intense.
“This morning we sat and spoke but we did not speak about a 4-4-1. I didn’t think that would happen. Everyone knows when you come on for five minutes in a game like this it feels like you have played 200. Everything is new.
“This midfield never, ever played together. It was not planned but we came through it and now he has his first minutes.”